Kate's AT Blog

Monday, July 6, 2015

Now what!?

To all the NoBos I met along the way, I wish you the best of luck as your journey comes to an end! To all the Sobos, yes you have so many miles ahead.. ENJOY!

Bryson and I are headed across Canada to Michigan. My family is meeting us along the way for a quick visit and celebration. We will then be meeting up with his family to enjoy the lake and each other's company. We will also celebrate our engagement!! We are then headed to Notre Dame for Bryson's graduation. I am excited to be back on campus, see some familiar faces, visit Matt and Elizabeth and dance at the Backer! We will then have a few days back in NY to visit and spend time with my family and pack up for ALASKA!!

Bryson and I both accepted positions at the University of Fairbanks! We are excited to explore the last frontier and take advantage of the outdoor playground!

Lots of new and exciting happenings:

Engaged

Time to plan a wedding

Got a job

Moving to Alaska

Oh and I just completed a thru hike!

Life is good!

Thanks for following my adventure. Who knows what's next!!???

Carpe diem -New Found

Celebration!

Fireworks from the boat

Happy fourth!

Sunday, July 5, 2015

14 States

Here are a few pictures of the states I crossed through along the AT. Each state certainly presented challenges and rewards. Many thanks to everyone that I met along the way, you made the journey an adventure never to forget. The trail magic, the generosity, hospitality, friendship and laughs... It all highlights the BEAUTY OF LIFE! Many thanks to my family and friends who supported and encouraged me.

What a hike! Carpe diem

Summiting Kathadin

The day has arrived. The wooden Kathadin sign has been engraved in my mind for the past four months. I can remember arriving at the hiker hostel in GA and seeing over 100 Kathadin pictures of past hikers. That will soon be me.

Hiking through the 100 miles I heard it all from the Sobos:

It's a hell of a hike up there.

It was the hardest but most rewarding thing I have ever done.

I only made it to the tree line.

They rescued a girl who got hypothermia yesterday.

Good luck!

Well... Yes, it was a hell of a hike! Once above the tree line you begin bouldering and need to use all fours. Bryson, "bless his heart" made the trek with me. We had great views, until we were IN the clouds. (Not ideal for those who wear glasses.) It took forever to reach the summit for I kept thinking it has to be right up there!

I was Nobo thru hiker #18 to make it for the year of 2015. I wasn't lying when said I never saw other hikers- I bet back in the bubble there are 18 ppl a night at a shelter! Anyways, it was very special for I summited the same day as five other NoBos!!! I didn't know them that well but there was instant comradery knowing that we all came from GA! To us that brown sign was representative of so much.

It was super cold, windy, and cloudy up there which somehow seemed appropriate. I was overcome with emotion. I did it. I am here. HELL YEAH

I was so happy to be celebrating with Bryson on the top. We celebrated in style with a bottle of champagne that we carried up. WHAT A HIKE

Need all fours

Follow that blaze

The summit in the clouds

YES!!!!

The 100 Mile Wilderness

Bryson and I spent the night at Shaws hiker hostel in the town of Monson. Poet and hippie chick were great hosts! We went to the bar for a beer where I met four Nobo hikers I had been following forever!!!! I had always seen their trail journal entries but never met them. We actually started within two days of each other. Crazy how you can hike over 2,000 miles and not run into each other. The beginning of July is a popular start date for south bound hikers. Thus, with so many Sobos it was awesome to meet other nobos! (Rarity)

Bryson dropped me off early the next morning at the trail head. With 100 miles ahead and no cell service we made a meet up plan, and I was off.

( He spent his five days visiting friends and fishing.)

My pack was really quite heavy with five days of hungry hiker food. It's funny to see how the Sobos ten day supply is equivalent to a NoBos five. Yes, 2,000 miles makes a difference in appetite! At least we have hiker legs and can make it out in half the time.I enjoyed meeting so many anxious/excited/exhausted Sobos. It is amazing to think back to everything they have ahead!

As I was becoming nostalgic about the journey coming to a close, I was given a few gentle reminders of the daily trail grind. It was so slick after a good rain that I had two good falls! Prior, I had only fallen twice the entire trip. I got my bear hang stuck and had to cut the p-cord. I ran into a moose on the trail. (We had a stare down)I got a bloody nose. I was soaking wet for hours on end.

I was excited after a few long rainy days to hit Abol Bridge campground marking the end of the 100 mile stretch. I hiked ten more miles to Kathadin Stream Campground. This is the base of the Kathadin climb, leaving just five remaining miles to the summit- the northern terminus of the trail.

I got a hitch out of Baxter park and into the town of Millonocket where I met up with Bryson at the Appalachian Trial Lodge. I got a hot shower, a needed load of laundry going and spread my tent out to dry. We joined Deadline, Yoyo and their girlfriends(who had just gotten into town) for dinner. We enjoyed reminiscing about the trail and sharing stories with all of our significant others about trail life!

Tomorrow = Kathadin